Horses are sensitive, but also easy to desensitize. With anything new, a horse will likely react at first. That’s his prey-animal reaction to anything new that could be a threat. Within a split second, horses must decide whether they...
Horses crave structure, consistency, praise and even discipline. In a herd setting, horses feel safe when they know that there’s an order and established rules. They know what to expect and where they stand within the hierarchy of the...
If getting in the trailer isn’t your horse’s favorite activity, making sure that you know where to be can ensure that he’ll step in with ease. When you’re aware of your body position and your horse’s behavior, you’ll be...
Horses learn quickly. In the wild, they learn to read the environment and react in ways that will save their lives. Horses must learn if a sound or object is dangerous to the herd or safe to ignore. If...
Good leaders create structure and rules, then enforce them fairly. When it comes to being a good leader for your horse, make sure you have set rules about your personal space and enforce them consistently. It’s when your rules...
You don’t have to watch a herd of horses for long to notice that there’s a distinct pecking order One horse will push another away from food with his ears back and his neck swinging. The other horse will...
There’s nothing more frustrating than standing in the paddock, halter in hand as you watch your horse run away from you. What’s meant to be a relaxing time with your horse turns into minutes or hours trying to catch...
You’ve heard horses labeled herd bound, gate sour, herd sour or barn sour. These terms sound like afflictions. But when we see these behaviors, it is simply because horses are drawn to others.Horses seek out other horses because...
Knowing how a horse’s senses work—and how they’re different from human senses—will help you understand how the horse perceives his reality. A horse’s senses are keener than a human’s. They take in every bit of information possible from their...
Along with their human partners, police horses are conspicuous everywhere from riots to county fairs. But even more than holding the line between crowds and bystanders, horses ridden by mounted police officers seem totally impervious to placards, banners and...
